Storm brings high winds, car crashes to Connecticut

Dozens of car crashes were reported across Connecticut on Thursday morning as a winter storm barreled into New England with snow, strong winds and the threat of coastal flooding.

The Bulletin

Writer

Posted Mar. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 7, 2013 at 7:14 AM

Posted Mar. 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Mar 7, 2013 at 7:14 AM

HARTFORD, Conn.

Dozens of car crashes were reported across Connecticut on Thursday morning as a winter storm barreled into New England with snow, strong winds and the threat of coastal flooding.

The most serious accident was on Interstate 84 eastbound in Tolland, where a FedEx tractor-trailer overturned and caused a chain-reaction crash involving about nine other vehicles including a state police cruiser and two more tractor-trailers, said Lt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman. No serious injuries were reported.

The entire eastbound side of the highway was closed for hours Thursday morning between exits 68 and 69. Vance said it could be late morning or early afternoon before the eastbound lanes reopen.

Vance said slippery conditions on the hilly section of I-84 also led to a few other accidents on the highway in Tolland and Union.

State troopers responded to nearly 400 calls for service Thursday morning. Other tractor-trailer accidents were reported on I-84 in Southbury and I-395 in Thompson. Part of Route 9 was closed in Newington because of an accident and car fire. Information on injuries in those accidents wasn't immediately available.

The storm was expected to bring 3 to 7 inches of snow, wind gusts of up to 50 mph and high tides 2 to 3 feet above normal to Connecticut, the National Weather Service said. The strongest winds were expected Thursday morning, and the heaviest snow was due to fall Thursday night into Friday, creating problems for Friday morning's commute.

Homeowners along Long Island Sound, many of whom are still recovering from damage from Superstorm Sandy in October, made preparations for Thursday's high tides.

No travel problems were reported by Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks or the Metro-North Railroad.

No public schools in the state canceled classes for the day, but a few opened late.

Power outages affecting customers of the United Illuminating Co., which serves the Bridgeport and New Haven areas, had dropped to just five Thursday morning. They have been concentrated in North Haven, which had more than 1,400 outages earlier in the morning.

Connecticut Light & Power Co. said it had about three dozen outages. The company serves more than 1 million homes and businesses in the state.